Father L. J. Dehon

Founder of the Dehonian Fathers – Servant of God Leon John Dehon – biography

The beginning - Discovering his vocation

Leon Dehon was born on 14 March 1843 in La Capelle, a small town in northern France. He attended secondary school at the College in Hazebrouck, where, as he recalled, he discovered his vocation to the priesthood on Christmas Eve 1856. His parents opposed his entering the seminary and, after he passed his final exams, sent him to study in Paris. In 1859 young Leon began studying at the Polytechnic, but soon left it for the Sorbonne, where he studied law. His interest in law proved lasting and led to a doctorate. After graduating, Leon travelled with his close friend Leon Palustre, visiting Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Egypt, the Holy Land and Rome. During his stay
in Rome, the future founder of the Dehonians attended an audience with Pope Pius IX.

After returning to his family home, his desire for the priesthood did not fade. Despite his parents’ opposition, he decided to fulfil his vocation.

He returned to the Eternal City and began studying at the French Seminary of St Clare.

The priestly and religious path

At the seminary, the future priest adopted as his motto the words from the Letter
to the Hebrews (10:7) and Psalm 40 (7-9): “Here I am, Lord, I come to do your will.”

On 19 December 1868, the Fourth Sunday of Advent, he was ordained in the Basilica of St John Lateran. Soon afterwards, in 1869, he became one of 24 stenographers at the First Vatican Council. In 1870 the Council was suspended,
and Fr Dehon completed his studies in theology and canon law, earning doctorates in both laws. He soon returned to France, where the bishop assigned him to Saint-Quentin.

As a young curate in Saint-Quentin, he immediately became involved in social work. He founded the St Joseph youth centre and launched initiatives supporting young people and employers. He was deeply sensitive to social problems
and economic inequality. Amid rapid and sometimes aggressive industrialisation and the vast gap between rich and poor, Fr Dehon served by proclaiming the living Gospel to employers and workers alike. With local support, he established a youth centre with a library, reading room and sports hall. He supported pastoral work among employers, encouraging them to address social problems in the spirit of the Church’s social teaching, and prepared materials for priests serving working people.

Mystic of the Heart of Jesus, sensitive to social issues

In 1877 he became chaplain to the Congregation of the Servants of the Heart of Jesus. Their spirituality included elements that deeply moved Fr Dehon, especially reparation to the Heart of Jesus for offences caused by social injustice. He wished to make reparation to God not only through adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, but also by serving the weakest and most vulnerable. For this purpose, he desired to found his own congregation.

After long reflection, he received verbal approval on the Feast of the Sacred Heart and written approval on 14 July 1877 to establish a new congregation: the Oblates of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The following year, after a year of novitiate, Fr Dehon made his first vows on 28 June 1878, becoming
Fr John of the Heart of Jesus. The growing order and St John’s College became a meeting place for many fraternities, where Fr Dehon put into practice his ideals of serving working people.
In 1883, following many events, the Holy See dissolved the existing congregation; in 1885 it approved the new Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. At the first general chapter,
Fr Dehon and several confrères made perpetual vows, and he was elected the congregation’s first superior general. Spreading Christian values among employers and workers, the congregation expanded its work beyond evangelisation to educating workers
and entrepreneurs. To promote wider education and evangelisation in the world of work, Fr Dehon wrote, among other works, “A Christian Manual of Social Teaching,” translated into many languages, including Italian, Spanish and Arabic.
After the outbreak of World War I, he was evacuated to Enghien and then Brussels. He soon presented the Pope with plans to build the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Sacro Cuore di CristoRe) in Rome, which were warmly received. The foundation stone was blessed on 18 May 1920, while the church was consecrated
in 1922. Despite advancing age, he intensified his work; in the jubilee year 1925, plans included moving the General House to Rome, continuing construction of the Basilica and the Ninth Chapter.

From birth to eternity

Sadly, weakened and ill, Fr Dehon died on 12 August 1925 in his room at the Mother House in Brussels. His last words were:
“For Him I live and for Him I die,” spoken towards an image of the Sacred Heart.

In 1952 the beatification process for the founder of the Dehonians began. Decades later, in 1997, the heroic nature of his virtues and a miracle through his intercession were recognised. The successful conclusion of the process came when the Congregation for the Causes of Saints set the date of Fr Dehon’s beatification for 24 April 2005. Due to the death of Pope John Paul II, the beatification was postponed indefinitely.

Pope Francis said of Fr Dehon: “What has always struck me about Leon Dehon is his prayer, which he recommended praying before the Blessed Sacrament every day, for the Church and its unity; even when going out into the street, he prayed.” He stressed that for this servant of God, prayer was not a waste of time, even when there was much work. “Prayer is indeed a good way to waste time, in a spirit of mercy.”